Deadpool Joins Marvel Rivals — Switches Between All Roles

• Key Takeaways:
• Deadpool is joining NetEase’s Marvel Rivals and can switch between Vanguard, Duelist, and Strategist mid-match.
• Role swap requires returning to team spawn (by retreat or defeat); each role alters abilities and team impact.
• Deadpool has a unique in-match progression and a style-grade ultimate charge that rewards flashy play.
• He launches in the new season on January 16, 2026, introducing unpredictable meta shifts.

What NetEase announced

NetEase revealed that Deadpool (Wade Wilson) will join Marvel Rivals in the game’s new season beginning January 16, 2026. The announcement came with a character reveal in Deadpool’s own irreverent style, continuing Rivals’ push to expand its roster and gameplay variety.

Three roles, one character

Unlike any previous hero in Rivals, Deadpool can switch between all three archetypes: tanky Vanguards, damage-focused Duelists, and support Strategists. Players can change his role at any time by returning to their team’s spawn—either by retreating or after being defeated—letting a single player pivot to meet match needs.

Role specifics and signature moves

As a Vanguard, Deadpool drops unicorn plushies that create protective shielding bubbles to defend allies or block enemy attacks. As a Duelist, he uses katanas and pistols to dish damage at multiple ranges. As a Strategist, those same weapons pair with healing abilities to sustain teammates across fights.

Ultimate and progression

Deadpool introduces an RPG-like, in-match progression system unusual for hero shooters: he levels up during a round to upgrade individual abilities. His ultimate charges through a style-grade system that rewards flashy, skillful play rather than passive actions.

In Duelist mode the ultimate can single out opponents and harass them with an aura of damaging attacks that appears to scale with the number of abilities used while the ultimate is active. In Strategist and Vanguard modes the ultimate instead manifests as healing and shielding auras, respectively.

Why it matters for the meta

Making a single hero able to fill all three archetypes creates flexible strategies and unpredictable match dynamics. Deadpool’s ability to shift roles mid-match will likely prompt players and teams to rethink compositions and counterplay.

Watch the reveal

Gameplay and reveal footage accompanies the announcement. Watch the developer/reveal clips here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rmU6RtypJ3w

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Y1sQPyhz5s

Expect debates about balance and playstyle as Deadpool arrives on January 16 — a fittingly chaotic addition to Marvel Rivals’ roster.